Teenager, mistaken for cow smuggler, killed by cow vigilantes in Haryana

The 19-year-old was allegedly chased and killed by cow vigilantes who mistook him for a cattle smuggler

A 19-year-old in Faridabad, Haryana, was reportedly shot dead on August 23 by a group of individuals suspected to be cow vigilantes, who pursued him under the assumption that he was involved in cattle smuggling, according to the police. Five men were later apprehended and placed in judicial custody.

The police identified the victim as Aryan Mishra, a Class 12 student enrolled in an open school in Faridabad, and stated that the incident occurred near Palwal on August 23. Mishra had left his home at night to join five friends in an SUV.

As per the police, the main suspect, Anil Kaushik, is associated with an organisation called Live for Nation, which promotes cow protection. On August 23, Kaushik, along with the other accused—Varun, Saurabh, Krishan, and Adesh—allegedly received information that cattle smugglers were in the vicinity in a Renault Duster.

 

The accused then chased the vehicle in which Mishra and his friends were travelling and opened fire, hitting Mishra with two bullets, according to his father Siya Nand Mishra’s police complaint. Initially, the family did not mention cow vigilantes in their complaint, believing the attack might have stemmed from a personal grudge against one of Mishra’s friends.

Cases of cow vigilantism in India this year

Throughout India's tumultuous history, few issues have been as persistently divisive as cow slaughter. This conflict dates back more than 130 years to a significant incident in 1893 when Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh became the focal point of communal tensions due to cow killings. This event initiated a pattern of violence that has reverberated through the years.

Fast forward to 2024, and the issue remains as volatile as ever. Despite numerous legal prohibitions and regulations aimed at curbing cow slaughter, incidents of vigilantism continue to occur. What started as isolated incidents of unrest has evolved into a recurring crisis, with various regions witnessing escalating confrontations and bloodshed in the name of cow protection.

Haryana: On August 27, a migrant worker from West Bengal, employed as a ragpicker, was allegedly beaten to death by cow vigilantes in Haryana’s Charkhi Dadri district. A video purportedly showing the lynching was shared on social media on Saturday, showing a large group of people beating the victim, identified as Sabir Malik, with sticks and rods. The authenticity of the video has not been verified by ThePrint.

According to police, a dispute erupted in Hansawas Khurd village of Badhra over the alleged consumption of beef. The conflict involved migrant families living in shacks and a group of people identifying as cow protectors, who arrived in Badhra, searched the shacks, and found meat in some containers.

Maharashtra: A video surfaced last week showing an elderly man being assaulted by fellow passengers on a moving train in Maharashtra's Nashik district, on suspicion of carrying beef. The video, which went viral on social media, depicts a group of individuals surrounding and attacking the man, verbally abusing him, and even issuing rape threats.

Gujarat: A man in Banaskantha, Gujarat, was allegedly killed by cow vigilantes on May 23 while transporting buffaloes. According to media reports, local police stated that a group of five men allegedly lynched 40-year-old Mishrikhan Baloch early that morning as he transported buffaloes to an animal market.

Chhattisgarh: In Raipur, Chhattisgarh, two men from Uttar Pradesh were allegedly lynched by cow vigilantes while transporting buffaloes. The incident occurred on the night of June 6 and 7, leaving one person severely injured. Although the state police have formed a 14-member team to investigate, no arrests have been made more than a week after the incident.

Approximately 15 cow vigilantes suspected the truckers of smuggling cows and followed the Chhattisgarh-registered truck from Patewa on Mahasamund-Arang Road, around 70 kilometres from Raipur.

Red January

In January, Siasat reported that on January 13, cow vigilantes allegedly assaulted a mini-truck driver for transporting cattle in Rajasthan’s Alwar district.

On January 12, two men were allegedly assaulted on Kuakhia Bridge in Odisha after being caught transporting cattle. A video shows a group of men holding and thrashing the two drivers in public view.

In another incident, cow vigilantes pursued a truck transporting bulls in Haryana’s Jhajjar district. The vehicle had a Delhi licence plate.

On January 5, cow vigilantes engaged in a dangerous high-speed chase spanning 12 kilometres with a truck transporting cattle. A video of the chase, which went viral, shows cows falling off the truck as the driver attempted to escape the vigilantes. The truck was eventually stopped, and two occupants were reportedly assaulted.

This incident occurred at Panchgaon Chowk in Gurgaon, Haryana.

What does the Supreme Court say?

The Supreme Court in April this year directed various state governments to inform it within six weeks about the actions taken in incidents of mob lynching and cow vigilantism. A bench comprising Justices B R Gavai, Aravind Kumar, and Sandeep Mehta noted that most states had not filed their reply affidavits to a writ petition highlighting instances of mob lynching. 

The bench had granted six weeks for states to file their responses and provide details of the measures taken in such cases. The Court was hearing a plea filed by the National Federation of Indian Women, associated with the CPI, seeking directions for immediate action in accordance with a 2018 Supreme Court verdict addressing lynching and mob violence against Muslims by cow vigilantes.

The Bench observed, “We find that most of the states have not filed their reply affidavits to the writ petition giving instances of mob lynching. It was expected of the states to at least respond to what action has been taken in such cases. We grant six weeks to the states that have not filed their replies and also give details of steps taken by them in such cases,” the bench said in its order. 

Last year, the Supreme Court issued notices to the Centre and the police chiefs of Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana, seeking their responses to the plea.

What are the cow protection laws in different states?

In Haryana, cow slaughter is prohibited, with penalties ranging from three to 10 years of imprisonment and fines up to Rs 1 lakh. The law applies to all bovines, and the sale of beef products is banned.

Similar to Haryana, Uttar Pradesh has strict laws against cow slaughter with severe penalties, and this has been linked to a high incidence of cow vigilantism. 

The Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act bans the slaughter of cows, bulls, and bullocks, with penalties including up to 5 years in prison and fines. The possession and sale of beef are also prohibited.

Meanwhile, in Rajasthan, the slaughter of cows and their progeny is banned, with penalties of up to 14 years of imprisonment. In Jharkhand, cow slaughter is banned, with violators facing up to 10 years in prison.

However, several Hindu groups across the country have taken it upon themselves to impart justice to those they suspect of carrying beef or transporting cows, bypassing the law.